The present invention relates generally to the field of information handling systems, and particularly to an information handling system for recording information.
Traditional broadcast media formats entail broadcasting information programs at regularly scheduled intervals such as every hour or one-half hour. Thus, a broadcast such as a television program normally begins on the top of every hour. However, it is often the situation that a viewer will not arrive on time to view the beginning of a broadcast. Also, viewers tend to change channels frequently until a desired program is discovered, but only after a portion of the program has already been broadcast. If a user decides in the middle of a program that recording of the program is desirable, the beginning portions of the program will be lost, and an incomplete recording of the program will be made. It would be highly desirable to provide a system and method for recording a program in its entirety from the beginning even though the decision to record the program occurs after the program starts and has been broadcast for a non-zero duration.
The present invention is directed to a method for storing an information signal for subsequent recording. In one embodiment, the method includes steps for receiving an incoming information signal, identifying a starting point in the information signal, storing at least a portion of the information signal in a memory as it is received including the identified starting point, receiving a command to record the information signal, the recording command occurring subsequent to the starting point of the information signal, and recording the information signal from the memory beginning with the starting point of the information signal such that the information signal may be recorded in entirety.
The present invention is further directed to an information handling system for storing an information signal for subsequent recording. In one embodiment, the information handling system includes a processor for executing a program of instructions on the information handling system, a memory, coupled to the processor, for storing the program of instructions, a receiver for receiving the information signal from a start time, a buffer operatively coupled to the receiver for storing at least a portion of the information signal, the processor identifying a start portion of the information signal corresponding to the start time, a recording storage device for recording the information signal, and a recording control interface coupled to the information handling system for receiving a recording input command causing the recording storage device to start recording from the buffer beginning from the start portion of the information signal subsequent to the start time.
It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.